I came too with the banging on my door. It was still dark out. I guess it was time to go. At least my mind had settled a lot. We were let into the Inn’s secure yard and we were the first there. We stored our gear and I checked through whether all our supplies were there while Branik and Smeška checked the other wagons. All the supplies I had ordered with her were there, but apparently she had ordered more equipment from the hunter dealer after the Job Interviews and this hadn’t arrived. She gave me a list of what she was expecting and there was a surprising number of traps and trap equipment.

She said, “Wiremu, you are our Hunter and Scout. I will discuss more with you later, but I anticipate we will need traps for beasts and for people. I have ordered the basics here, but you have authority to change what’s here if you think it will work better. We need warning traps and damage traps. Here is some additional coin, go and rouse that lazy hunter merchant and meet us at the gate.”

“Yes, mam,” I said and set off. This was curious. I was mulling over the list with my new knowledge of the animals in the area and planning some changes. I would also include some Spiritual Trap supplies as I was very close to getting the skill. I wonder what she found out after the interviews.

Dawn was here when I finally got the hunter merchant to open up. He had most of the order packed, but not delivered. He was kind of expecting to be woken up for the goods. We went through the crate and I switched out some items and added others, including some shovels, hammers and two dozen javelins. They could be throwing weapons or possibly stakes in a pit trap. I settled the balance of coins with the Merchant and set off to the gate with the crate. I got there before the caravan and sat on the crate to wait. I was starting to get a bit concerned when the lead wagon appeared with Branik and Masnachwr.

Branik had not been the only one busy during the time in town. Masnachwr had also been hiring and had added another wagon so we were back up to six. Branik indicated the crate was to go in the wagon with our other equipment. I saw all three of the guards she hired had shown up and the Carter siblings were also there. Tabitha looked as tired as I felt. I was curious about what Skill she had demonstrated to Branik to let them join. I would have to find out later. She didn’t look like she had any extra equipment.

The checks leaving the town were a lot less than arriving, and I think now everyone knew there were Orcs, they were in a hurry to get rid of us. Branik told me to stay with the caravan until we left the farming area. The day was uneventful and we were still in the farming area when we found a camp for the night. Kopje rejoined us with the horses after dark and they were unloaded into the new wagon.

Branik called a meeting with all the guards after the evening meal and reiterated the chain of command for the new people and set the watch schedule and informed everyone of the routine. I was identified as the Scout. Tabitha was a back up scout, but was to be on night watch, all night, every night. There was always another person with her in a three hour rotation. She would sleep in the morning in the wagon with our supplies. I was exempt from the night watch but it was clear that once we were away from civilization there would be traps set at night and this was my job and overseen by Kopje. There would be a separate meeting for the scouts in the morning before I set out.

The night went peacefully. There were a few grumbles at the morning sparring. I was paired up with a new warrior. Tabitha looked dead on her feet. Thinking about it she has probably been up and active for two days and nights straight. After breakfast Tabitha and I were taken outside of camp, by Branik and Kopje.

“I have very good reason to believe we will be attacked by other mercenaries. I haven’t managed to determine the reason, as it only became clear when the Furious Fighters tried to move in on our contract. The goods are probably reason enough. You two are our eyes and ears. You are both also our major defence against stealth attacks and treachery.”

“You suspect the new wagon hires and the guards?” I asked.

“I think the guards are good as I vetted them myself, but I had no say in the wagon hires. While one of you is on day duty and one on night, you are both on call all the time. You also need to work out strategies to work together against stealth and internal threats. You both have abilities that are kept secret. You will need to learn each other's abilities and coordinate. The abilities won’t be secret after they are used the first time anyway.” Branik said.

I looked at Tabitha and wondered what she had shown Branik. She was probably wondering the same about me.

Branik continued, “Today, Wiremu, Kopje will teach you to ride. We are still in a farming area so we are reasonably safe. Tonight you will go with Tabitha and practise your abilities and put strategies in place. Wiremu, you will teach Tabitha Trapping, and Spiritual Trapping if possible. Kopje also knows traps and will join you, but he does not have the attributes for Spiritual Trapping. The three of you will be responsible for setting and dismantling the traps. Wiremu, your hunter class gives you the advantage knowing where to place the traps. You will teach Kopje and Tabitha what you can. Tabitha, you hit the sack. Wiremu, Kopje will teach you how to saddle a horse.”

Horses are not nice beasts. Mine snapped at me and tried to throw me, and succeeded the first time. Kopje was very amused. We rode ahead scouting the road, and then doubled back to check no one was following and then went off the road, which was more challenging to ride. I got the Riding Skill mid morning and it got steadily easier from then on. I didn’t realise till later, but I think the horse was smelling Pip on me and that was making it skittish. During the afternoon there were periods I didn’t have to concentrate so much so I looked at what I could specialize Quarry Worker into.

There was only one option, Prospector. That gave me attributes in Physical and Spiritual perception and Spiritual Strength with only one free. Four total, and I felt it was reinforcing my strengths. The thing about specialised classes is they often come with a unique or very hard to get Skill or bonus. The Prospector specialisation was all about finding valuable items in the ground. It came with the skill, Treasure Sense. To level the Prospecting Class I would need to find treasures in the ground. I couldn’t see that happening for a long time. The Skill Treasure Sense, however, was not limited to the ground.When I got close enough to the wagons several parts were highlighted by the Skill as having Treasure. I would have to experiment with what was considered Treasure. I got the sense that as I level the Skill my range would increase, but so would my sensitivity. I think this meant I could focus more on what I considered Treasure. After all, water is a treasure to a person in the desert.

This would be a good Skill for a Thief. I wondered if Tabitha could get it when she specialised Thief. As far as I know she had Thief at Level 10 but not specialised. I guess it had more requirements than a simple Class like Quarry Worker. I would probably have the same trouble with Hunter and Spy. I checked my Status.

Wiremu Hunter

Class

Hunt

QW

Spy

Pros

Total

Type

Attribute

Level

5

10

5

1

Constitution

Physical

Strength (PS)

9

10

2

20

1

42

89.0

Agility (PA)

12

3

5 4

24

Poison R +4

Perception (PP)

11

0

10

1

1

23

Crush R +15

Mental

Strength (MS)

9

11

2

22

58.0

Agility (MA)

12

1

2 5

20

Pain R +9

Perception (MP)

11

0

0 5 16

Spiritual

Strength (SS)

10

1

0

10

1

22

53.0

Agility (SA)

8

0

4 3 15

Perception (SP)

10

0

0

5

1

16

Totals

92

26

25 30

24

3

200 Free points 0

1

1

Bond: Pip, Desert Viper. Skills: Venom Bite, Quick Strike, Granite Bones, Crushing Resistance +13

Skills:

Novice: Cooking 2, Fishing 4, Spear 1, Lock Pick 4, Camouflage 2, Truth Sensing 2, Butchering 2, Throwing Weapons 2, Manipulate Status 1. Mineral Lore 1, Sense Spiritual 1, Detect Spiritual Traps 1, Disarm Spiritual Traps 1, Granite Sense 3, Animal Lore 2, Riding 2, Sense Treasure 1

Apprentice: Small Blades 6, Tracking 7, Skinning 5, Identify 9, Deceive 8, Animal Bond 8, Bow 7, Far Sight 5, Trapping 8, Unarmed Combat 5 Granite Bones 5

Journeyman: Stealth 14, Hammer 12, Hearing Aid 10.

Affinity: Granite

I seem to be getting a lot of Sensing Skills, but I suppose that is understandable with Hunter, Spy and now Prospecting. I looked at my Status wondering what to do with my free attribute points. Maybe I will wait to see what secrets Tabitha was hiding and see if they can help there. I couldn’t help but wonder what she would think of Pip.